


no competition

by bapaldeul



Category: Wanna One (Band)
Genre: Domestic Fluff, Established Relationship, M/M, just a lot of fluff, nielwink are competitive and in love that's all
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2019-02-10
Updated: 2019-02-10
Packaged: 2019-10-25 14:59:59
Rating: General Audiences
Warnings: Creator Chose Not To Use Archive Warnings
Chapters: 1
Words: 4,041
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/17727413
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/bapaldeul/pseuds/bapaldeul
Summary: when both daniel and jihoon are positive that the cute guy at the ice-skating rink is hitting on one of them and definitely not the other





	no competition

**Author's Note:**

> me? writing a full-fluff one-shot?
> 
> who am i anymore
> 
> purely self indulgent because we and by we i mean i need more fluffy nielwink to get by 
> 
> enjoy!

“Oh my God! Did you see the look on his face?” Jihoon squeals, balling Daniel’s cardigan deep into his fists as he tries to move closer to Jihoon so that they won’t get wet from the rain.

 

He doesn’t know why he has to share the umbrella with Jihoon when he’d clearly told the other man that the weather forecast said there would be a 70% chance of rainfall in this area of in the late afternoon but _no_ , _oh no_ , God forbid Daniel to be right about anything and deny Jihoon the chance to be a complete stubborn brat about it.

 

Well, obviously the rain argument has been put behind them now that Jihoon is fixated with something else, or rather, somebody else.

 

“He was totally hitting on me!”

 

Now it is Daniel’s turn to laugh instead of Jihoon laughing at Daniel when they’d stepped out of the house today - because according to walking fashion terrorist Park Jihoon, Daniel’s cardigan is a disgrace to the fashion industry.

 

 _Look who can’t let go of that same cardigan now,_ Daniel remarks internally as Jihoon continues to hold onto him.

 

Daniel snorts, “He was _not_.”

 

The only reason Daniel entertains Jihoon’s childish arguments is that is he _just as immature_.

 

They are a match made in heaven.

 

“He so was,” Jihoon makes sure to let Daniel see him roll his eyes.

 

“Haha, that’s nice Jihoonie,” Daniel replies dryly.

 

Jihoon stops walking.

 

It’s pouring and Daniel is cold.

 

“Do you have something you want to say to me?”

 

“No?” Daniel says, but his tone always betrays him. That, and he is a terrible liar especially in front of Jihoon who will always to manage to see through his best thought out lies.

 

“You don’t think that guy was flirting with me? Not at all?”

 

It’s almost like Jihoon thinks that it is a crime for Daniel to not see every human being on this planet being as infatuated and in love with Park Jihoon as he is. Well, he is not wrong but still, Daniel has his reasons as to thinking why the guy from back at the ice skating rink was not hitting on his boyfriend.

 

“If you say so,” Daniel shrugs.

 

“You obviously think otherwise,” Jihoon challenges, eyes sharp at the implication that Daniel is not taking him seriously as he would like him to. “Pray tell.”

 

“Fine,” Daniel sighs. “He wasn’t flirting with you because-”

 

Jihoon is giving Daniel one of those famous looks that sends him mixed signals. One part of Jihoon is telling him to go on, complete his sentence, but the other side of Jihoon and Daniel’s consciousness is telling himself to just shut up and let Jihoon have this one.

 

“-Because he was flirting with me, ok?”

 

*

 

“You’re unbelievable.”

 

Daniel really should listen to himself a lot more.

 

Shaking the umbrella before entering “Ice Age” - a dessert shop run by two of Daniel’s long time college seniors turned lifetime friends, Daniel hardly has time to do some damage control on his bank account before Jihoon orders everything on the menu.

 

Jisung has refused Daniel a staff discount countless times.

 

“You must have pushed his buttons today,” Sungwoon tsks at Daniel who pouts as he hands his credit card over to the “boss” of this cafe. Apparently, Jisung is more of the front of the house while Sungwoon likes to handle the money. Daniel doesn’t care as long as he doesn’t spend his life savings here and ends up having to crash on Jisung and Sungwoon’s couch.

 

“Any chance for a sympathy discount?” Daniel decides to test the waters.

 

Sungwoon holds Daniel’s stare for a few seconds before relenting.

 

“I’ll give you one of the waffles for free, but only for today,” Sungwoon says, handing Daniel’s card back to him along with a shockingly long receipt for two customers.

 

“ _One of_ the waffles?” Daniel almost chokes on thin air.

 

“It’s ok, Daniel, you can earn more next year.”

 

Daniel glances behind his back to see Jisung already talking to Jihoon at the table - which is hopefully a good sign that Daniel will not have to apologise for something he doesn’t know he’s done yet.

 

“I guess I will ask my boss to send me on more business trips next month.”

 

Sungwoon just smiles shakes his head disapprovingly.

 

“Amateurish move, Niel.”

 

He can never win, can he?

 

*

 

“Hello, Jisung hyung.”

 

“Hello, freeloader.”

 

“Ouch,” Daniel winces at Jisung’s very unnecessary comment. “I actually paid for his food this time!”

 

Daniel places the receipt on the table in a very obvious manner to let Jihoon see the damage he’s done to their savings account but of course he does not even bat an eye at the final amount.

 

“Hyung, can you believe that he thinks the cute guy at the skating rink was flirting with him instead of me?”

 

Oh, _here we go again._

 

“I wasn’t there, don’t look at me to solve your problems,” Jisung holds up his hands in mock surrender.

 

“He was totally hitting on me,” Daniel argues back. “You were too busy shooting heart eyes at him to see the way he let his hand linger on mine for a second too long when I paid for the rental of the skates.”

 

Jihoon seems very taken aback at the way Daniel already has all his receipts prepared.

 

“Sure,” Jihoon says back, unfazed. “But you also did not see him helping me to wear my skates because someone was too enthusiastic to show off instead.”

 

“Is that true, Daniel?” Jisung asks.

 

He hangs his head low in defeat, mumbling something in agreement. He was just excited to be at a skating rink for the first time in a long while. Granted they were probably older than the average age of people there, it was still fun to be a teenager again.

 

“He was clearly into me and my expert skills.”

 

Jihoon can only laugh coldly as Sungwoon brings their desserts over.

 

God, why does Jihoon have to order three waffles when they are only two of them.

 

“Stay here, Sungwoon hyung. He’s being insufferable today,” Jihoon pulls a seat for Sungwoon to join in their little conversation.

 

“ _Me_ , being insufferable,” Daniel repeats sarcastically as he waves the long receipt in front of Jihoon’s eyes.

 

Jihoon just ignores him.

 

“What’s going on? Why the long faces?”

 

All it takes is one question from Ha Sungwoon to take Daniel and Jihoon back to where they were three hours ago.

 

“He was tall, had nice proportions, was polite and helped a little girl put on her skates!” Jihoon gushes, recounting the time he had fallen for the part-time worker at the skating rink. Daniel just stuffs his face with ice-cream because he paid for it.

 

“He was very, very handsome,” Daniel agrees.

 

He will always give credit where it is due because that dude back there at the ice skating rink? Daniel would buy him waffles any day.

 

“And was clearly flirting with me,” Jihoon adds.

 

“Sure, baby,” Daniel shoots back.

 

“Don’t think I didn’t notice that “baby” you slipped in there,” Jihoon points an accusing finger at a totally innocent Daniel. “Don’t put that name in the same mouth you’re accusing me of fraud with.”

 

“Well… I guess the only way for you two to solve this very important problem is to go back to the rink and see for yourselves,” Sungwoon concludes, leaning back in his chair as he watches in fascination of how Daniel and Jihoon continue to exchange petty insults - Daniel asking Jihoon why can’t he call him baby, and Jihoon arguing that because they’re arguing, that term of endearment is now taboo.

 

“I mean, sure,” Jihoon says, relaxed like he’s already won this race.

 

“That settles it,” Daniel nods. “Because I really could not think of anyone who would _remotely_ be attracted to someone who has trouble putting on his skates and has waffles for dinner.”

 

“Yeah? And I could not think of _anyone_ who could ever be attracted to someone who wants to show off his twirls which he’d learnt in ballet class ten years ago and fall on his butt a second after,” Jihoon counter argues angrily.

 

He thinks he looks scary, but it honestly looks like a small kitten baring its non-existent fangs at Daniel.

 

“Really? You guys can’t think of anyone? Because I can very clearly think of _two_ ,” Jisung says before leaving to serve another customer.

 

*

 

You see, the problem with both Daniel and Jihoon is that they can be insanely competitive when they really mean to be. One would think that Jihoon would be the more aggressive one in wanting to win, but Daniel can be equally stubborn about not giving up his stand.

 

So they return to the same ice-skating rink the next day.

 

“He’s there,” Jihoon hisses as he peeks out from behind Daniel’s back, pointing very non-discreetly toward a particular part-timer who is now at the food stand instead of the rentals today.

 

“Are you really going to be acting like a high school girl? You’re way past that,” Daniel frowns.

 

“But he is really handsome,” Jihoon pouts.

 

Daniel returns the same sentiments.

 

“Okay, I’m going to go up to him and order some food for us.”

 

It is rare that Jihoon displays such emotions of wanting to initiate something, but Daniel still stands that the man was definitely not hitting on his boyfriend, because let’s face it - Daniel would not let that get pass him.

 

“Go ahead,” Daniel watches with ease. “I want fries and a hotdog.”

 

Once the order is locked into Jihoon’s brain, he strides up confidently to the food stand while Daniel goes and gets them their skates.

 

He is at the counter about to pay when he realises that-

 

*

 

“ _Dumbass_ , you forgot my card-”

 

Daniel’s arm is outstretched, fingers about to pass a black credit card to Jihoon because Jihoon never ever brings out his wallet when they are on a date (He swears it’s his forgetfulness, but Jihoon has never ever forgotten when the chicken place near their place is having a 1 for 1 offer).

 

Until he realises that Jihoon has been so deep in conversation with the beautiful man at the food stand he has completely forgotten about payment.

 

“Oh. Niel, meet Minhyun hyung. Minhyun hyung, this is Daniel.”

 

They are already on first name basis? _Crap_ , Daniel has to step up his game.

 

“Hello,” Daniel’s cheeks blush when the man directs his ever soft gaze onto Daniel. “I’m Daniel,”

 

He smiles when Daniel stumbles over his words much to the disgust of Jihoon.

 

“I remember you - you were the one doing ballerina twirls in the middle of the rink yesterday.”

 

Daniel beams with pride as he wriggles his eyebrows suggestively as Jihoon.

 

“Ah yes, that’s me,” Daniel grins.

 

“Please, you took like five lessons in high school. Get over it,” Jihoon mutters under his breath.

 

Losers will be losers.

 

“Sorry about leaving this bag of burden with you,” Daniel says, wrapping his arm around Jihoon’s shoulder and squeezing it. “He’s always running off to buy things without my credit card.”

 

“No worry about that,” Minhyun says. “The food’s on the house.”

 

And then he says,

 

“Because you both are so cute.”

 

Immediately, the tables are turned and the competition is suddenly back on when daniel had been so close to the finish line earlier.

 

“Thanks, hyung,” Jihoon has the audacity to wink at Minhyun as he pulls a very reluctant Daniel away.

 

*

 

“Both? _Both_ !” Daniel angrily stuffs another fry into his mouth. “ I was so close!”

“ _Baby_ , I am your greatest competitor,” Jihoon rubs Daniel’s arm in an attempt to console him.

 

“I do not appreciate that obviously sarcastic use of my favourite pet name for you.”

 

“I like it,” Jihoon laughs heartily.

 

Well, as long as Jihoon is happy, Daniel doesn’t mind being but butt of the joke every now and then.

 

And even though they are both fully grown men who like spending their weekends going on an ice-skating date and arguing about who the cute guy really hit on, Jihoon is still the baby who Daniel first fell in love and has ketchup on the side of his lips.

 

“How are you ever going to seduce Minhyun hyung like this-” Daniel chides, wiping it away for Jihoon.

 

“Shall we skate?”

 

Jihoon gladly takes Daniel’s hand - and he already feels like a winner.

 

*

 

“Niel, look, he’s looking for somebody!” Jihoon pats Daniel’s back excitedly because apparently he still doesn’t know how to balance on his own.

 

And true to Jihoon’s words, Minhyun is standing on the side of the rink, peering and very obviously looking for someone.

 

“You think he’s looking for me?” Daniel grins.

 

“Or _me_ ,” Jihoon shrugs.

 

“Yeah sure,” Daniel says. “I guess there’s only one way to find out.”

 

It is ironic for two adult men to skate across the entire rink just to find out if the hot guy is looking out for either one of them but Daniel and Jihoon are definitely not like other people, so they hold their hands tight (Daniel doesn’t want Jihoon to fall on his butt in front of his obvious crush) until someone crashes both their dreams.

 

Crashes, _literally_.

 

A lanky figure beats both Daniel and Jihoon to Minhyun, who has his arms outstretched at the exit of the rink. A man Daniel has never seen before in a long coat skates a little too fast for it to be safe and crashes into Minhyun, both men falling over each other and onto the cold hard floor.

 

Daniel and Jihoon can only watch in awe at the situation unfolding in front of them.

 

They’re too late.

 

“Seongwoo, I told you not to go on the rink without me!” Minhyun groans in pain.

 

The man of top of him just giggles even if he’s blushing from the tip of his ears down in embarrassment.

 

“I couldn’t wait, you were taking too long at your shift. And I figured; how hard could learning how to skate on my own be?” the man, who now has a name - Seongwoo, reasons.

 

“You’re going to be the absolute death of me,” Minhyun says, helping both of them up.

 

It is then that he finally notices Daniel and Jihoon.

 

“Oh, hello. I’m so sorry you both had to witness that.”

 

“It’s okay-” Daniel speaks on behalf for Jihoon who doesn’t even have the words.

 

“This is Seongwoo - my _finance,"_ Minhyun says, clasping the other man's hand tight in his own as if afraid the other would fall again.

 

It feels like a lightning bolt from the blue.

 

“Oh God, I’m so rude. I should have introduced myself first,” Seongwoo is well, a bit of a klutz from what they’ve just witnessed but he shakes both Daniel’s and Jihoon’s hands haphazardly.

 

“I’m Seongwoo.”

 

“I’m Jihoon,” now Jihoon is the one who speaks for Daniel, because Daniel is the one at a loss for words this time. “This is my boyfriend, Daniel.”

 

“Aren’t they the cutest? They remind me of us, but a bit younger,” Minhyun smiles.

 

Oh. So that explains the _because you are both so cute_ part of things.

 

Daniel does not know if Jihoon feels the same way but he definitely wants to dig a hole for the both of them right now.

 

*

 

“He’s _engaged_?”

 

Jisung chokes on his food as soon as Daniel retells the story to the both of them.

 

“I guess that solves a lot of things,” Sungwoon replies, handing the water over to Jisung.

 

“Well… at least his fiance is as handsome as he is because I honestly could not see any one dating him - they’d be too scared of his beauty.”

 

“ _You_ were pretty adamant on dating him,” Daniel scoffs.

 

Jihoon only shoots Daniel a death glare in return for that unnecessary comment.

 

“You are the only two people I know who would fight to death over such a tiny thing like this,” Jisung sighs.

 

“It’s _not_ tiny!” Jihoon protests.

 

Daniel just remains tight-lipped, a bad feeling brewing in his stomach. He had viewed this whole thing as innocent, friendly competition between the both of them. Does Jihoon not feel the same way?

 

_Had Jihoon really hoped for-_

 

“Niel,” Jihoon says, breaking his train of thought. “I said let’s go home. Jisung hyung wants to pack up. And we both have work tomorrow.”

 

_It’s impossible._

 

“Huh, okay,” Daniel mumbles.

 

Jisung catches that, “You okay? You look pale.”

 

He forces a smile back, “I’m fine. Just tired.”

 

_Jihoon wouldn’t._

 

“Get some rest,” Jisung smiles.

 

“You too, hyung.”

 

When Daniel says his goodbyes to Sungwoon and Jisung and joins Jihoon, who is waiting outside the cafe, he feels like something has changed. The air is unusually chilly, and Jihoon is avoiding Daniel’s eye.

 

_There’s no way Jihoon was actually hoping for something to happen, right?_

 

*

 

Jihoon washes up first, leaving Daniel’s thoughts to simmer.

 

He finally decides that letting his largest insecurities get to him is the worst thing to do to himself and he tends to overthink a lot.

 

“What’s up, bro.”

 

“Jaehwan, I need some help. It’s about Jihoon.”

 

Jaehwan remains very quiet while Daniel is relaying the story to him, which is very unusual.

 

“I’m so afraid, you know, that what if this whole thing wasn’t as innocent to Jihoon as it was to me. Like he had really yearned for Minhyun instead of me and that he would be so easy to snatch away by any cute guy on the street-” Daniel rambles.

 

“Daniel, what the fuck are you talking about?”

 

Jaehwan sounds mad.

 

“How could you ever think of Jihoon like that-” Jaehwan pauses to let his anger simmer down first. “I think you’ve completely misunderstood his intentions here. Now you’re playing some sort of stupid guessing game and it’s just going to hurt you both in the end.”

 

He’s right. Daniel’s just being stupid.

 

Right?

 

“Niel - do you remember how you reacted whenever someone from our college so as much looked for a second too long in Jihoon’s direction?”

 

Daniel smiles as he recalls how he’d earned the nickname of Jihoon’s bodyguard because he would never let any other person have even the slightest chance of taking Jihoon away from him.

 

It’s been five years since they’ve graduated but that shouldn’t stop Daniel from treasuring Jihoon the very same way as he’d done back then.

 

“I’m the idiot,” Daniel admits to Jaehwan. “I owe you one.”

 

When Jihoon emerges from the shower in his half wet hair and baggy pyjamas, Daniel knows exactly what to do.

 

*

 

“Ow- seriously? _Now_?”

 

Ah, behold the world's greatest romantic who also happens to be Kang Daniel’s boyfriend.

 

“What? You don’t like it?”

 

“It’s not that,” Jihoon says as he tries to struggle out of Daniel’s tight grip. “This is out of character. What the hell’s up with you tonight? I’m tired and I want to go to sleep.”

 

Daniel spins Jihoon around very ungracefully but still somehow manages to catch Jihoon in his arms before he falls.

 

Staring deep into Jihoon’s eyes, he says, “You’re still as beautiful as when I first saw you.”

 

Jihoon chokes and Daniel has to pat his back after that to soothe him.

 

“What- the- fuck,” Jihoon still manages to cough out in between his fit.

 

Daniel just stares sadly at the man.

 

He decides to fuck it and just ask the big question.

 

“Are you mad about something? At me, maybe?”

 

Jihoon looks surprised, “Do I have something to be mad about?”

 

“No,” Daniel shifts uncomfortably on his feet. “I just feel like…”

 

“Feel like…” Jihoon probes.

 

“I just feel like I might have looked like I took this stupid competition thing way too seriously when I really didn’t care if Minhyun hyung really hit on you or not - no wait, fuck that. I cared, but not for the reason you think I did.”

 

His heart is beating at a thousand miles per hour.

 

“I was jealous, okay? The way you looked at him - was the way you looked at me too and I was just scared that you would eventually get sick of m-”

 

Jihoon has very weird ways of shutting Daniel up.

 

But this, by far, is his favourite.

 

It really dawns on Daniel then that it’s been forever since they’ve been intimate with each other because they’ve been so busy at work. A kiss on the cheek or forehead is all each of them get before the other rushes out for work in the morning. By night, they’re too exhausted to do anything and often fall asleep as soon as they hit the bed.

 

This weekend was supposed to be special; they were supposed to go on a nice date and they had to get caught up in a silly competition that didn’t even matter.

 

Jihoon’s fingers tugging in Daniel’s hair reminds him of the more important things at hand.

 

“I love you,” Jihoon says when he pulls away. “And nobody else.”

 

“Me too,” Daniel replies, eager to capture Jihoon’s lips again but Jihoon holds a finger up, stopping him from advancing any further.

 

“And I’m never going to get sick of you. _Ever_ . You are the only person ever who will still buy me food even if I made you angry, and you still give me goodnight kisses even if I go to sleep first, and you’re the only one who’s willing to stick through thick and thin to be with me, _right_?”

 

Jihoon’s voice is shaky, almost like he doubts himself.

 

And for Jihoon, Daniel is always going to be by his side.

 

Unchanging.

 

“Of course, dummy.”

 

Everlasting.

 

Jihoon fits perfectly into Daniel’s embrace, like he was meant to be all along.

 

“I’m sorry I don’t have time to chase after you anymore - maybe that’s why I was so affected when a small gesture from some stranger could have you head over heels in love with him.”

 

Daniel should have never stopped chasing.

 

Never stopped assuming that Jihoon was always going to wait for him.

 

Jihoon doesn’t have to tiptoe to kiss Daniel like back in their college days anymore, but he’s always going to be the same Jihoon that Daniel wants to wake up next to every day.

 

“I just miss us,” Jihoon says in a voice slightly lower than a whisper. “I miss _you_ , even when you’re next to me.”

 

*

 

“You know, seeing Seongwoo hyung and Minhyun hyung made me realise something,” Jihoon says when they are together in bed later that night.

 

Daniel hasn’t done this a while, and he curses himself for waiting so long to have Jihoon in his arms again. It feels like he could conquer the world like this. Jihoon smells of their shared shampoo and home.

 

“What is it,” Daniel probes, burying his head into the crook of Jihoon’s neck.

 

“I want to marry you, hyung. Maybe not now, not tomorrow but in the future. I want to crash into you when I can’t balance on my ice skates, and I want to get free food from all our friends with you, and I really, really, want to spend the rest of my life with you.”

 

Something in Daniel’s chest rises and he has to hide his face in the pillow so Jihoon doesn’t see him tear up.

 

“Is this a proposal?”

 

“No, because I’m going to make the proposal the most beautiful thing ever,” Jihoon replies with such conviction, Daniel can already see it.

 

He knew that he wouldn’t spend the rest of his life with anyone else; but now that Jihoon has said it out loud, Daniel can envision them 10, 20 and even 50 years down the road.

 

It’s all going to be worth it.

 

“Not if I make it more beautiful than yours,” Daniel snorts.

 

“I guess the game is on then,” Jihoon decides.

 

And from today onwards, Daniel is going to start the chase again.

 

Just like how he had so madly chased after Park Jihoon to be his boyfriend in college with flowers and customised love songs playlists, he would too, desperately chase after the same man to be his husband forever.

 

Because when it comes to who loves Park Jihoon more between the two of them,

 

There’s no competition.

**Author's Note:**

> i don't know what prompted me to write this but i did and i still hope you all enjoyed reading it!!!
> 
> am already halfway through the next overboard update so please have this as my offering in the meantime :D
> 
> do leave comments if you liked it <3


End file.
